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Hatem Bazian of UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law, Phyllis Bennis of the Institute of Policy Studies, and Sandy Tolan of UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism and author of “The Lemon Tree” will highlight a weekend conference entitled “Breaking Down the Wall of Silence: Voices We Need to Hear.”

The conference dedicated to peace in Palestine is sponsored by Friends of Sabeel, an international peace movement initiated by Palestinian Christians, and will include the appearance of the parents of Rachel Corrie, crushed by an Israeli bulldozer in 2003.

“At a time when so many people find the situation beyond a solution, a lot of people here see hope and ways to solve this peacefully and nonviolently,” Barbara Erickson of the Friends of Sobeel planning committee told the Daily Planet on Thursday.

Erickson underscored the importance of the group’s bringing together Jews, Christians and Muslims to work for a peaceful resolution in Palestine. “It’s got to change,” Erickson said.

The conference will take place from 1–9:45 p.m. Friday, Aug. 24 and 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25 at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave. Registration is $70.